


Fleeting

by Reveren



Category: Hololive, Virtual Streamer Animated Characters
Genre: F/F, Feelings Are Confusing, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Holidays, Pining, a majority of this is just a shark pining, it's a push and pull but they're both competitive as hell so they're just. stuck in a stalemate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:07:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27980502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reveren/pseuds/Reveren
Summary: The holidays are always hectic. Gura knows this best, given how she has to deal with both a gathering materials list and her friendship with Amelia.
Relationships: Gawr Gura/Watson Amelia (hololive)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 236





	Fleeting

It starts off as a joke—as most of them do. 

Kiara is the first one to spot it when they walk inside the house. The bags that she carries with her are almost thrown to the side when she runs over to the kitchen hallway and lets out a huge squeal, ushering everyone to come over with sparkling eyes and a grin a little too wide that only spelt trouble. 

The phoenix doesn’t say anything when they huddle together to where she stands. All she does is simply lift a finger, causing them to look up and see the cause of her excitement. 

It’s hard to miss it. Tied, or rather stuck on with a piece of tape, to the door frame was a tiny green plant wrapped in an obnoxiously bright red ribbon. A traditional decoration, set up and meant for clichés. What other better way to get prepared for Christmas, after all, than by putting up a _mistletoe._

They all turn to Amelia who blinks.

“I—it wasn’t me,” the detective sputters out upon seeing their critical stares. The laugh that comes out makes her next statement sound less convincing. “It wasn’t here when I went out!”

With skepticism, the other three turn their attention towards Kiara as she gasps. 

“Hey, it wasn’t me either! Besides I would hang it under where only Calli and I would stand...”

Calliope glowers at the declaration, grumbling, _“Of course you would, Kusotori,”_ under her breath. She moves behind Ina’nis who giggles.

“Well, it doesn’t matter who put it there. Just make sure to not stand under it, guys.” 

There’s a brief pause. Then, a sly smile forms on her lips.

“Unless…?”

They all sneak glances to each other; then one of them coughs, causing the rest of the group to break into laughter. Bets are placed on who will be the first to fall victim to it (“Calliope,” all of them agreed without second thought), but it’s not too long after do they put away the groceries and start dinner, the mistletoe forgotten. 

_Almost forgotten,_ anyway. One of them can’t help but continue to be wary of its existence when they turn in for the night.

———

For the next few days, nothing happens. 

They were all preparing for the holiday, so no one was home for the most part. Aside from the few times they could sit back and relax for a day or two, the five of them rarely saw each other for more than a couple of minutes. 

Calliope was too busy managing between her job as a reaper apprentice and checking off presents on the list for their seniors and juniors. Kiara was off on adventures to grab the needed ingredients for the season feast. Ina had to make preparations in order to ensure nothing bad was going to happen by constantly checking up on the Ancient Ones. Amelia was time-traveling back and forth to get some items on the same present list and solve cases along the way. 

And Gura—well, Gura had to grab whatever else they needed. They were simple stuff, really, but when the holiday season arrived, suddenly everything went out-of-stock, leaving her to go on multiple mini-quests to find them. 

All in all, their schedules were too different and packed for that to happen. Even their groupchat rarely went off. That’s why it’s by sheer coincidence that when Gura comes home one afternoon after buying as much wrapping paper the stores had left, she spots Amelia on the couch, cutting up decorations for the wall. A fake tree now stood next to their TV, bare but lit up.

“Welcome back,” the detective greets her warmly. She moves to the other side of the couch, giving space for her friend to sit. “Finished shopping already?”

“It took like four hours. _Four._ Just to find some stupid wrapping paper!” Gura plops down on the couch, wincing when her feet touches the ground; she wouldn’t be surprised if they were sore tomorrow. “Every store I went to ran out. Apparently, it was all because of this one person who ordered in advance, but like who in the world needs so much wrapping paper?”

“Well, _us,_ for one,” Amelia quips without missing a beat, “but also a lot of people spend Christmas as one large family. And then you have groups of friends too…”

Gura opens her mouth, but she sinks back into the couch instead, failing to come up with an argument. “I—I guess… Yeah. You have a point.” She crosses her arms, huffing slightly. “I think we should have wrapping paper law limits though.”

Amelia laughs at that, and Gura smiles at the sound. She rests her head on the arm of the couch, now taking in the detective’s appearance. It’s been too long since she’s spoken to anybody, let alone see them, so to see a familiar face was nice. These past few days were lonely, unbearable even. 

Sitting next to Amelia, talking with her, _hearing_ her, is enough to make Gura forget about how awful Christmas shopping has gone. Her chest feels lighter than usual.

The paper crafts on the table catches her attention next. She begins to look around their living room and how it’s come along: lights covered their entire walls, as well as fake stars. Empty present boxes were scattered along the floor, notes of specific names stuck on the outside. They haven’t done anything about the outside decoration, so Gura makes a mental note to herself to get something about that done in the next day or two.

Finally, her eyes land on the green plant. No one’s done anything about _that_ either.

“Did you know?”

Gura glances over. “Hmm?”

“The mistletoe,” Amelia says, hands steady, precise, with each cut; she doesn’t look away from her work. “That it can be poisonous.”

_“What?”_

“I’m serious! It’s poisonous to humans and animals if consumed. Causes vomiting, seizures, et cetera.” She finishes cutting up a snowman, squinting at its shape. “That’s why you should be careful.” 

It’s very alarming how Amelia seems to know these random facts, especially something as horrific as that. Gura’s both impressed but concerned by her endless knowledge. “I’m guessing someone ate one and found that out the hard way?” 

“Who knows? Accidents happen, it’s not that uncommon. I would definitely try it.” Amelia finally lifts her head up from the paper craft, beaming. “Or they tested it in the lab and found out. That too.”

The fact that Amelia never fails to entertain her ideas first makes Gura even more grateful of her. She lays back on the couch and watches as the clock ticks by, letting what she’s learned sink in. 

_Poisonous._ Ironic for a plant that was also supposedly associated with something as romantic as love and life. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve actually tried taking a bite of it when first setting it up. She’s lucky that the thought never actually occurred to her despite how sweet the berries looked. 

A comfortable silence forms between the two of them, with only the satisfying snipping of the scissors cutting up paper filling the air. It made the atmosphere nice and peaceful—perfect for rest. Gura closes her eyes, allowing herself to relax into the soft cushions. The exhaustion from visiting so many stores has caught up, and she feels like all the life has been sucked out of her. At this point, she’d rather deflate like a balloon than search for the next item they need on their list. Where was she going to find a _kotatsu_ of all things? 

Next to her, the cutting stops, resulting in eerie quietness. One eye opens, spotting Amelia staring at her. 

“What?” 

“Nothing. You look tired.” She places the scissors down on the table, leaning back into the couch herself. “Naps sure are nice, huh?”

Gura raises an amused eyebrow. “Are you saying that just cause or are you trying to suggest something here?”

“Hmm… Maybe a little bit of both?” Amelia grabs a cushion next to her, hugging it close. She then turns her head towards Gura, observing her quietly before mumbling, “It’s okay. To close your eyes for a bit, I mean. Christmas is a week away.”

Exactly how rough did she look for Amelia to say that, Gura wondered. She groans at the thought of her showing up like a mess and going outside for the whole world to see—it would explain the faces the employees and other customers kept giving her while she waited in line. She knew she should’ve kept the hoodie up. 

“I can wake you up when it’s time for dinner,” Amelia continues, her voice gentle, soothing; it was practically hypnotizing, pulling her into a trance. “You can chill out for the day.”

Gura considers it, albeit not for too long when she feels a yawn coming. Now that the idea’s been proposed, a nap doesn’t sound so bad. Maybe it _is_ what she needed. Her bones would definitely appreciate it. 

“That...would be great. Thank you, Watson.”

Amelia hums, seemingly satisfied by her answer. Without haste, Gura shifts on the couch to find the perfect position, grabbing cushions to level her tail. It prompts the detective to speak again once she manages to surround herself with a newly-built fortress.

“You can use my lap too, by the way.” She lightly pats her thighs for added effect. “Free of charge!”

Her tone is so casual and uplifting and nonchalant that it’s misplaced. _Evil._ Gura stiffens in place, wondering if her ears had heard wrong, but then she sees Amelia’s face when she turns and realizes with both relief and some disappointment that it was a joke. _As usual._

“Maybe, um, next time,” is her clumsy response because really, what else can she come up with when it comes to Amelia’s confusing and frustrating antics. Her cheeks are warm, forcing her to turn her back. “If you don’t wake me up, I’m stealing all your snacks in the cabinet.”

A smile in Amelia’s voice can be heard when she exclaims, “I will! I will. You’re not getting those cookies.” 

There’s a deliberate pause in her next sentence. Gura knows Amelia well enough to recognize that she was in deep thought about something—this habit has become a lot more frequent these last few months. It’s a little unnerving, not knowing what goes through her mind. 

When the silence is broken, Amelia almost whispers. “...Get some rest, okay?”

She doesn’t need to say it twice. Already, drowsiness pulls at Gura as her eyes give up and close. The last thing she’s conscious of is a soft fabric being laid over her and the warmth of someone’s hand on the top of her head—and something soft brushing over her temple.

———

She doesn’t remember her dreams. Then again, Gura rarely ever dreams at all. 

That doesn’t mean she doesn’t experience them though. Usually, she’s watching them, like an ongoing series on the TV; this time, however, it’s different. She’s not awake, per se, but she’s distinctly aware that it’s a dream for once. Was this the lucid dreaming that she’s heard about before? 

It’s strange. Gura moves around her arms—they feel light, flexible. She briefly wonders about breaking the rules of how arms should bend but decides against it last second at the creepy thought of seeing them twisted and disjointed. She’s supposed to have _fun_ in dreams, not turn them into nightmares at her own free will. 

Scanning around, Gura finds that while she’s in their house, things are different. The living room is much bigger than she remembers it being, and half of the furniture that should be there are replaced by more expensive-looking ones. A gigantic Christmas tree decorated with ornaments and lights stood in the middle of the room, with a table of wrapped snacks and a box of pizza neatly placed on top next to it. Even the wooden floor itself was replaced by marble, causing her shoes to squeak with each step she took as she walked around. 

_It’s snowing, too._ She gazes outside the window, noticing the family of snowmen lined up. The whole setting felt like it was ripped straight out of a movie—which, considering what she’s been watching in her free time, shouldn’t be very surprising. 

“Huh. So does this mean I’m the main character…?”

Gura almost feels like she’s breaking the fourth wall. She shakes her head, turning around to explore more of the house—and without warning, bumps straight into someone’s chest. She stumbles, about to fall, when they grab her by the wrist. 

“Watch your step, Gura.”

“Ah! Thank you…” She looks up, blinking when she meets a pair of blue eyes. Her heart nearly stops. “...Ame?”

Dressed in red and white, Amelia gives her a grin. The tiny hat on her head jingles. “Were you expecting someone else?”

Truthfully, Gura wasn’t. Something about the fact makes her stomach do a flip as she narrows her eyes with scrutiny. “It’s just you?” 

“Well...you could always make someone else appear. You’re in charge of here, after all.” Amelia gives a knowing smirk. “Do you _want_ to do that though?”

Great. This Amelia wasn’t only self-aware that she was part of Gura’s imagination—she was also more straightforward and direct than the real one. The definition of double trouble, indeed. 

_That’s not good._ Gura examines her carefully; aside from the slight personality differences, Amelia appeared and sounded the same. She wonders if this was how she viewed her friend, or if this was her brain’s creative work at hand. Either possibility left a sour taste in her mouth.

She doesn’t like changing Amelia who’s already perfect as she is into some sort of imposter that shares her name and face. It’ll make her a manipulator who solely wants to see their ideal image of the people around them on a surface level. At that point, she'd rather have it be an entirely new stranger.

Gura sighs, ready to wake up from this dream with a self-induced slap on the cheeks—until a pair of arms wrap around her. She’s tugged forward as Amelia lays her head on her shoulder, rocking them back and forth.

Gura thinks she’s lost it for real. “Uhh…”

“Yes?”

“What…” Her eyes dart everywhere; the house is stuffy. “What are you doing?”

Amelia muses on it for a bit. “I’m defrosting myself, of course,” she then explains as if that was the natural conclusion one would come to.

“I—by hugging me?”

“You’re warm,” Amelia states. She snuggles her face into the nook of her neck, letting out a content sigh. “And I like hugging you. It feels nice.”

If Gura wasn’t red before, she was a tomato now. Her throat becomes dry as Amelia giggles at her stunned silence, hugging her a little tighter as a result. The soft ringing from her hat makes her feel anxious as she stares into the floor, seeing their reflection.

 _A dream._ She needs to remind herself that this is all a _dream_ —nothing more, nothing less. None of this meant anything in the end. It won’t change reality. Amelia will stay Amelia, and Gura will stay Gura, and they’ll stay best friends. That’s how it always is, isn’t it?

She isn’t so sure anymore. Gura gives up on thinking and rests her head on Amelia’s shoulder who, in turn, gives comforting pats on her back. 

“This isn’t real.”

“It’s not,” Amelia concurs, voice oddly muffled, “but what’s wrong with that?”

“I’m getting all my hopes up. Overthinking too.” She grips the warm coat, biting her lip. _Am I hypocrite for enjoying this?_ she wants to ask but ultimately keeps silent. “...I feel guilty.”

“Why?”

Gura frowns. An uncomfortable feeling settles in the pit of her stomach; she refuses to admit it here of all places. 

“...Who’s to say.”

It’s not the answer she knows Amelia wants to hear, but the detective accepts it anyway without question. She continues to pat her back until Gura’s had her dose and moves away, remorseful. Amelia fixes her hat and coat before looking off to the side with a thoughtful expression; it’s the one she always wore when trying to solve a mystery or puzzle.

“It’s true that none of this is real,” Amelia says, picking her words slowly. “However, the reason dreams happen in the first place are because of your thoughts and feelings, which _are_ real… If that makes sense.”

Gura supposes she can follow along with what Amelia’s trying to say, but she's not entirely convinced. “It doesn't feel right. I… I just don’t think I’m allowed to enjoy these kinds of dreams,” she confesses, voice constrained, as she fiddles with her sleeves.

“What!? Of course you’re allowed to enjoy them! Don’t invalidate yourself.” Amelia sounds genuinely _upset._ She shakes her head in disapproval, sighing. “Dreams are a means of escape, Gura. If dreams had a set of rules, who the hell would enjoy sleeping?”

 _She’s not wrong._ Gura casts her gaze towards her feet, unease growing. For a dream, it sure felt like she was going through an endless stream of worries and insecurities followed by a pep talk with a figment of her imagination. Seeing how this Amelia was getting passionate reminds Gura of that one time they got into a heated argument over vegetables, and that scares her. Things were getting too realistic, reflecting the real world now.

...Still, it felt nice to know that her well-being was cared for. There’s something very lovely about Amelia and how she shows her concern, including in dreams.

“It’s okay…?”

“Yeah! Don’t be afraid to express yourself!”

“Express myself…”

Gura eyes their hands. Hesitantly, she takes a hold of Amelia’s sleeve before eventually moving lower towards her fingers and intertwining them with her own hand. 

Her ears are burning up. “So, um. Like this?”

Amelia nods, a little too enthusiastically; she doesn’t appear flustered in the slightest. There’s a bounce in her voice as she goes on. “You can do anything you want. Ask for anything you want!”

_Anything?_

The specific word choice makes her wonder. Gura decides to bite just this once for curiosity purposes—without a second thought about the potential consequences her actions could have, she asks, “Then what about a kiss?”

As soon as the words get out, embarrassment washes over her. She makes a list of unintelligible words and noises (a mixture of “oh wait” and “um, uh, ah” and “ignore me, haha, shark brain am I right?”) as the excuses die inside her throat, refusing to come to her rescue. If it was possible to pass out in a dream, she would do it without a moment of hesitation.

There’s no coming back from this one. Gura for sure knows she’s writhing in her sleep at this exact moment.

Amelia contemplates it for much longer than she should, as if weighing the pros and cons of the situation. Her eyebrows furrowed together, her free hand raised to her mouth as she continues to ponder. After what feels like an eternity does she finally shrugs her shoulders, taking a step forward towards the shark. Her smile is bright, carefree.

“Sure!”

It isn’t the reaction Gura had predicted. Her arms are grasped, and the next thing she knows, she’s backed into a wall as Amelia looms over her, face _way too close for comfort_ and eyes _mesmerizing like the open ocean that anyone would drown in them_. Gura can hear her heart thumping loudly against her eardrums with each passing second as she holds her breath, watching a laugh escape Amelia’s lips. 

This isn’t supposed to happen. It was supposed to be treated like a joke, one where both of them laugh like usual and pretend nothing else is going on. Their relationship has had its fair share of those incidents.

That’s how it’s always been. Not _this._

Panic seizes Gura when Amelia inches closer and closer. Her eyes squeeze shut.

_“W—wait!”_

She pushes Amelia away and—for some reason, this Amelia is a lot more harder than before. The room around Gura shifts into a familiar setting, and she realizes the pillow supporting her head, the thick blanket on her, the white lights over her head, the nearby crackling of fire from the fireplace. She pinches herself hard, then recoils at the pain that follows.

 _Oh no._ Gura leans up, covered in sweat. She definitely isn’t dreaming anymore, that’s for sure.

From the floor, someone groans. Gura peers over the couch to find Amelia—real life, in the flesh, Amelia Watson—laid out on the floor, self-reflecting as she glares at the ceiling fan. Her arms are crossed in defiance; she blows out the hair strands on her face.

“So much for a nice awakening.”

Gura’s face flushes. “Sorry, Watson,” she says sheepishly as she extends a hand, pulling her up. “Um, are you hurting anywhere?”

“It’s fine, I’m okay... I’ve been through worse.” Amelia dusts off her skirt, rubbing the back of her head; she winces but shakes off the injury, redirecting her worry towards the shark. “The heck you were dreaming about? You kept moving around... Must have been a really bad nightmare.”

Depending on what can be considered a ‘nightmare,’ Gura might’ve been inclined to agree. She averts her gaze instead, however, laughing weakly. “It was...interesting, to say the least.”

The vagueness in her answer only piques Amelia’s interest. “Oh? It can’t be as strange as mine.”

“Maybe.” Gura would’ve challenged her right there, but for both of their sakes, she decides not to—the dream topic can be saved for another day when she’s in her right mind. “But, uh, actually,” she says, switching the topic while she can, “what time is it? It’s pretty dark outside.”

“10 PM. I was going to wake you up, but....” Amelia’s face darkens. “Well, you see how that went.”

She's not actually mad, thankfully—just a little irritated from the aching wound she now has. Gura can’t help returning a cheeky grin, nerves loosening up as she warns, “You shouldn’t mess with an apex predator while they’re sleeping, A~me!”

“My cookies are on the line here," the detective deflects. "I’m not gonna let some small shark steal them because they didn’t wake up.”

_“Hey!”_

Amelia sticks a tongue out at her before proceeding to ruffle Gura’s hair. “Hurry up, you bozo. Dinner’s getting cold.”

She retreats back into the kitchen where the plates are already laid out. Gura can only stare as a warm feeling spreads throughout her chest at the chair already set out across from Amelia. She likes this—the familiarity of their relationship. It made sense, helped her focus on the bigger picture. Gura can get used to the feelings that came along and deal with them over time, enjoy these instances of happiness for as long as they last.

 _This_ is fine. It’s all one could ever ask for.

She stands up, stretching out her limbs—then, she touches the top of her head, recalling how Amelia’s hand felt. She thinks she can get used to those headpats.

Dinner’s simple but filling: roasted chicken leftovers, corn, boiled cabbages and cooked potatoes on the side. It’s not by any means a five-star _cuisine,_ but it shows effort and dedication for what it is, and Gura appreciates that. She praises Amelia a lot who kicks her under the table, thinking she was being sarcastic. When they’re finished eating, they’re still going back and forth as they wash the dishes together, Gura rinsing them clean while Amelia dries them off. The footstool the former stands on manages to make their height difference less noticeable to her delight.

“I’m telling you the truth!" Gura insists for the thirtieth time in a row. "Dinner was really good!”

“It took an hour of preparing. Thinking of it took only ten minutes,” Amelia retorts, splashing some water on to the shark. “Save your compliments for when I _actually_ go all-out.”

Her defense was impermeable. It’s ridiculously endearing how stubborn she was being that Gura gives it to her. “Fine, alright, Gordon _Watson._ Whatever you say.” She glances at her before quickly following up with, “I’ll go all-out with my compliments too when it happens. You better accept them!”

This time, Amelia elbows her on the side, rolling her eyes despite her lips fighting a smile. “I’ll be looking forward to it then."

It’s probably the lingering after-effects of the dream that causes Gura’s heart to jump a little when she meets Amelia’s gaze as she flashes a quick smile. One foot slips when she tries to swiftly hop down to the floor, but she manages to land safely without the stretched-out arm ready to steady her up. 

She lets out a shaky breath. The judging stare on her back forces Gura to give a reassuring wink and thumbs-up. 

“Nailed it.”

Amelia’s not impressed. “Uh-huh. And people say _I’m_ the chaotic one.”

“It’s my bad luck and your good luck cancelling each out,” Gura explains smoothly. She gives a pointed look. “But isn’t it amazing that I’m okay? Unlike someone who seems to get a new injury everyday…”

“Wha—?” Amelia gasps, taking offense to that. She marches up to Gura, rolling up a sleeve. “Okay, but they were all out of my control! At least, it made my bones stronger. Here, I’ll show you.”

They both know she can pack a punch, but Amelia holds herself back before her fist connects. She lightly taps on Gura’s arm, and in turn, the shark cries in agony, clutching it. 

“Medic!" she calls out, looking everywhere. "Medic!”

“You're looking at one," Amelia points out flatly. "But I already lost my PDF as a doctor. Sorry.”

Their banter continues on just like that. Before long, the two of them are doubled over without a care in the world of the dropping temperatures outside or how loud they were being. Simply cracking jokes, saying and doing the most absurd things to keep themselves entertained and see how long they could last was all they needed to make them forget about their responsibilities that would come in the next morning. 

It’s a needed change of pace from their busy schedules. Another cherishable moment they can remember with fondness randomly in the future one day. 

Gura listens on as Amelia comments on how all of them should catch up once the holidays are over. The detective’s eyes are crinkled, shining brighter than normally, and her cheeks are dusted with pink, probably from laughing too much. Her pearly white teeth always show themselves, even when she tries to hide them behind a hand, as her blonde hair bounces above her shoulders. There was something very capturing about Amelia, and Gura wants to frame how pretty she looks right about now, not that there’s ever a moment where she _isn’t._

She lets her eyes wander a little too far than intended as she gets lost in her thoughts. Above their heads, Gura catches a glimpse of a tiny plant, and immediately, her feet turn cold as everything comes crashing back down on her.

 _Oh shoot._ She forgot that thing existed. 

Amelia hasn’t noticed yet, thankfully. Gura’s brain tells her to move to somewhere else in the house and act natural, but her body is too busy registering the shock to properly listen. All she can do is zone out as panicked thoughts begin to flood throughout her head.

 _This was a mistake, I shouldn’t have put it there, why did I have to put it there, why is it_ Amelia, _what was the probability for this to even happen, I’m so dumb, that was supposed to be for takamori, I really played myself—_

“Gura?”

_“Y-yes!?”_

They both start for different reasons. Gura reddens as Amelia blenches from the sudden shriek, letting out a confused chuckle. 

“You good?” she asks. “Remembered something you need to do?”

“Uh... Something...like that?” Gura manages to find her cool, putting on a (hopefully) convincing smile. “It’s, uh, not anything big though.”

Amelia nods—but not before glancing upwards for a split second. “Really?”

“Mhm. Yep.”

The deafening silence that follows next is excruciating. Gura’s soul threatens to leave her body by how awkward the air is between them suddenly as she scolds herself for being so stupid. _Why_ did she have to look up? Couldn’t she have ignored it? Who would take a mistletoe so literally? She contemplates on leaving right there, blaming her behavior on the lack of sleep hours she's running on, and retreating back to her bedroom until Amelia breaks it.

“I can help if you want.”

“Ah, yes, of course you can hel— _help?”_

“Yeah.” Her expression softens on the shark for some reason. “I can help.” 

_Surely,_ Gura’s not misunderstanding her. There’s no way—not in the slightest—that Amelia was quite possibly referring to something else. Of course not. Not at all. Not in her wildest dreams. That would be out of the question. Out of character even.

It isn’t far-fetched to assume that she was simply going out of her way to help a friend in need. Amelia’s kind like that. Out of everyone, she was the one to most likely exceed and go beyond than what’s needed for those around her. It’s incredible, how Gura twists the agenda of her thoughts, and how much more at ease she feels at the lie. 

“It’s okay, Ame. I mean, you already have other things on your plate, don’t you?”

It’s not the response the detective was expecting. Her eyebrows shoot up with surprise. “Well...you’re not wrong, but...“

“See? I can’t do that to you," Gura interjects. Her heart begins to race again as her hands tremble slightly from nerves; she clenches her teeth before continuing. “Time-traveling back and forth is exhausting enough. You shouldn’t take on more responsibilities!”

“What? Gura—”

“You still haven’t gotten all the presents yet either. I’d be slowing you down by burdening you with my problems. That’s not fair. We all have our work cut out for us.”

_“Gura.”_

“And not to mention, you’re busy with dealing cases too… By the way, how have they been? I forgot to ask about it, but did you solve the missing Santa—?”

_“Gura!”_

She stops at the distressed shout, looking over to Amelia. Her eyes are clear, reflecting in them Gura herself and how small she is. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the detective was being _serious._

Gura chews the inside of her cheek, notices the proximity between the two of them and how quiet the house is. Remembers the fact that Ina’nis and Kiara and Calliope are out.

It’s just _them._

_Alone._

Her hands become clammy. The floor suddenly looks a lot more interesting.

“Uh, right. Help...”

It doesn’t have to be awkward like this, Gura knows. She’s overthinking this way too much. Friends kiss each other, after all. _“Kiss your homies,”_ as the saying goes. She picked up on that saying when Calliope and Amelia mentioned it in passing on one Valentine’s Day where the group spent the holiday watching the news, paying no mind to the numerous couples walking outside their windows. 

Of course, it was more played as a joke, but nevertheless—this isn’t something she should get worked up over. Especially not when Kiara kisses all of them on cheek every now so often to show her affection. How would this be any different?

Gura’s thoughts are interrupted when she feels a hand placed on her arm. She snaps back to look at Amelia who tilts her head with a slight frown.

“Unless you don’t want it...?”

 _Damnit._ It’s illegal how cute Amelia can be. Gura almost falls for the trap, but she stops herself in time from agreeing right away to—to whatever _this_ is.

“You’re okay with it?” she finds herself asking. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“‘Cause, you know…" Her head blanks out. "We’re not, uh...like…”

“Like...? Like what?” Amelia leans back, blinking. “Like _that?"_ she finishes. The teasing smile on her face returns, but it looks off. “Wow, Gura. I didn’t know you worried over little details like that.”

Something about her smug tone offends the shark. Her voice raises in pitch without her meaning to. “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

“Nothing! Nothing. Just, you know…” 

Amelia takes back her hand, letting it linger over Gura's arm. Then, she clears her throat loudly and takes in a deep breath. 

_“...Thatyou’retooscaredtokissme.”_

She _has_ to be joking. “Scared!?” 

“You heard me.”

Amelia seems to be having fun, putting her on the spot like this. It leaves Gura absolutely flabbergasted as she struggles to bluff her way out of the situation. “I’m not _scared!_ Why… Pfft, why would I be _scared_? What kind of an apex predator gets scared at a k...kiss?”

Gura grimaces at the stutter near the end. Amelia more or less nods, plotting more ideas. “So you’re not scared?”

Her answer comes out more confident than it should’ve—that was her major mistake. “No.”

“Huh. Okay! Well, since you said so...” 

Gura watches with increasing dread as the detective takes off her hat, fixes her hair. Amelia lowers down before closing her eyes. 

“Go ahead.”

The gears in her head come to a screeching halt. Gura wonders if she’s suffering in a fever dream until her nails dig deep into her palms and she feels sharp pain in them. Neither of them move for a solid ten seconds. 

Amelia virtually sighs, sounding disappointed. “Gura…”

“I—“ She swallows hard, rummaging through her brain for any good excuse to use. “You can’t just put me on the spot like this!”

“You’re already supposed to be prepared! You said it yourself!” Amelia shoots back. “What happened to that confidence, _apex predator!?”_

 _“I don’t know!_ I-it went somewhere!” Gura throws her hands up in exasperation, wondering how they even got to this point. “I keep hesitating! And thinking!”

“That’s not how you do it!”

“Then how am I _supposed_ to do it!?”

Amelia doesn’t falter one bit. “Like this, idiot!”

It escalates too quickly for either of them to process it. Amelia holds her by the shoulders and leans in, her hair tickling Gura's neck. A second later, the shark feels it, the detective’s soft lips on her cheek, mere inches away from the corner of her mouth. They stay like that for a few seconds, maybe even for a minute if one graciously rounds up the time. 

Gura forgets to breathe. She can’t hear anything besides her own heart against her eardrums, feel anything but Amelia’s gentle hands and lips. A shudder travels throughout her body when Amelia slowly pulls back, all her senses setting in. Neither of them know how to react; they say nothing nor move. 

It's not until Amelia snaps out of it does time move again. There’s a hint of embarrassment on her face; she doesn’t let go of Gura just yet, but her grasp does weaken. The tips of her ears are red—and her voice comes out small when she decides to speak. 

“That wasn’t so bad...was it...?”

It was posed more of a rhetorical question than anything else. Gura gives her a bemused look, unsure of how to respond, and Amela’s expression turns conflicted. She takes a step back, releasing her hands and nodding to herself with affirmation. 

A strained smile slips on her face. She gives a pat on Gura’s shoulder. “Today was fun. Goodnight!”

“Goodn—wait, what? Huh!?”

Amelia doesn’t give her a chance to say anything else to her sudden farewell. She simply gives a final wave, and then bolts upstairs as if it was another typical day, leaving Gura all by herself in the kitchen, lost and disoriented. She slumps against the wall, hitting her head against the door frame as the floor above her shakes from the slam of a door. 

The mistletoe mockingly stares down at her in its holiday glory. Outside, someone blasts season jingles in the streets; the kitchen drops in temperature as more snow falls, turning the floor into ice.

Gura doesn’t pay attention to any of it. She stares off into the distance as her vision clouds, trying to make sense of it all. She feels like a lagging computer

 _What was that?_ She thinks back on it, and at the memory, her cheeks flare up again. She doesn’t like it, how they got to that point. The way she can still feel the linger of Amelia’s lips or the fact that she distinctly remembers how soft they were. She really doesn’t like how short it lasted too, and how if Amelia had moved a little more to the left, they would’ve ended with different results. 

Most of all though, she doesn’t like the expression the detective wore afterwards. Embarrassment was one thing—but guilt? 

Gura broods over it more and more until a headache comes along and a single conclusion is formed. Her heart sinks. 

_Bang!_

The front door slams open, moving the entire house. Snow tumbles to the ground as Calliope and Ina’nis walk inside, the apprentice reaper holding a jar of ashes in her arms. Red and orange flames were starting to build around them, and soon enough, when the jar is placed down on the couch, they burst into a bright light and envelope around the object. 

When the fire dies down, Kiara can now be seen on the couch, holding a sword and shield. Her eyes roam around the room, taking in the foreign yet comforting house and its decorations.

“What happened? Where am I?”

None of them have anything to say. Calliope groans from frustration, stomping her way upstairs while Ina’nis gives Kiara a sympathetic smile, shaking her head. Like that, the night ends—with Gura asking the same questions. 

(Later, she drags herself upstairs. Gura doesn’t dream anything when she hits the bed; although, that may be due to the fact that she couldn’t sleep at all.)

———

The holidays are quickly approaching, and all of them are, to put it quite plainly, _rushing_ to get everything together. 

They’re nearly done with the preparations. _This_ and _that_ need a few changes and adjustments, but they’re not huge—their manager makes sure nothing’s missing and takes care most of it, relying on them to complete their respective jobs. Kiara’s able to recover her memories after a few hours of following Calliope, and the two of them finish grabbing ingredients so that they can start cooking. Ina’nis helps Gura find a new kotatsu with the help of the Ancient Ones, eventually running across the other items on their list. And Amelia…

Amelia’s been doing _something._ That’s what they all believe, anyway.

Gura hasn’t seen her lately. Ever since what happened that night, the two of them have completely avoided each other, whether it be on purpose or by pure coincidence. The closest she comes to Amelia are the passing remarks from the others who all wonder what she’s been up to as well. 

_It’s unfortunate, but what else can you do._ Gura was planning to patch things up and ask Amelia what happens between them now, but that opportunity never showed itself, and the more she thinks about it, the more reluctant she becomes. What was the point? The two of them were probably never going to address it. She’d rather let the memory fade into nothingness where they agree to never bring it up, even if it does complicate things a little farther. They can blame it on the stress from that week; it was a reasonable excuse as far as both of them were concerned.

As the deadline comes near and people start celebrating in advance though, the incident continues to buzz in the back of Gura’s head. She grows restless—especially when Amelia doesn’t show up to their planned night out before Christmas Day. 

The five of them wait and wait and _wait_ for the missing detective until it’s eventually time for them to go out to the karaoke room they rent out. None of them say anything regarding her despite all sharing the same concern; it’s more comfortable to assume that she was running late than anything else. For a while, they keep their high spirits and energy, taking turns singing while keeping an eye out for the door.

But then thirty minutes are left remaining on the clock, and Amelia _still_ hasn’t shown up. She hasn’t replied back to any of their messages either. 

Silence falls over the room as they stare at the list of songs. Their worst fears begin to materialize until the door is suddenly kicked open, and the detective wobbles inside, covered from head to toe in snow.

“Sorry I’m late,” she announces, shaking off the ice; behind her, multiple present bags are dragged in. “I ran into some, uh, problems. Got a few souvenirs for you guys though!”

The song playing in the background becomes white noise. No one reacts at first, too frozen with shock, disbelief, and relief—until Kiara jumps out from the seat and attacks Amelia with a rough hug, crying about how all of them thought she was gone for good in this timeline. Calliope has to drag the two of them so they can sit down as Ina’nis rushes to give Amelia everything she needs to warm up. 

Meanwhile, all Gura can do is gawk from the other couch. It feels like she’s a stranger all over again, reuniting with a friend she hasn’t seen in forever. Part of her wants to tackle Amelia as well and never let go for the whole night, but another part of her restrains herself from acting irrationally.

 _Where have you been? Where did you go? What happened? Are you okay?_ Amelia’s bombarded by a number of questions, and the best way she can explain her disappearance was due to her watch breaking. She had accidentally dropped it when locking up the office for the night, and the next thing she knew, she had teleported all the way back in the 1800s. She was lucky enough to find some spare parts to fix the device, but the process of repairing it was complicated and, if not cautious, could make the watch useless forever. 

Basically, it meant she would’ve been stuck in a different timeline forever until someone in the future finally noticed and sent her a replacement watch. “Events like these happen a lot,” Amelia goes on, “but they’re a little scary sometimes since you don’t know when they’ll get fixed.”

“We’re just glad you’re safe, Ame,” Kiara sniffles, dusting off snow from her head. “You know you could’ve come to one of us for help, right? Or, like, the _past_ us, I think?”

“Yeah, but that could’ve messed up the timeline or something! I can’t do that.” Amelia’s gaze moves over to Gura for once since entering. “Besides, I probably wouldn’t have found any of you.”

They make eye-contact. Gura’s not sure how long they hold it for, or why the unsaid things between them continue to grow, but her gaze is steady. Focused. She tries to smile, but it comes off too forced and fake—or that’s what Amelia’s expression says anyway when she frowns back.

_Ah…_

Gura’s the first to break away, looking down at her drink: all the ice cubes have since melted, mixed in with the remaining orange juice she had left. From the side, she swears she hears a sigh from under Amelia’s breath.

_Everything about this is annoying._

The other must have noticed it by now, the strange air between them. They don’t comment on it though; Kiara grumbles something about how weird time-traveling works, redirecting everyone’s attention back to the topic. Amelia simply shrugs.

“It’s a price you pay, being able to travel across time dimensions.”

“Indeed,” Calliope says with a slight incline of her head; she gives a gentle smile. “Everything’s all good now at least. You’re finished with all your cases, got all the presents… You can relax.” 

As she says that, she reaches over the table, handing Amelia a mic. The latter stares at it in confusion. 

“...Or not. It’s your turn to sing, by the way. We don’t have that much time left.”

“What? Already!?”

From across the room, Ina’nis filters through the list of available songs. “We all went three times already. It’s a tradition!” She laughs upon seeing the exasperated look on her face. “It’ll be fine~. We like your voice!”

There’s no room for argument—the other girls echo their agreement much to Amelia’s dismay. Kiara nudges for her to go stand up in the center, and Calliope grabs a recorder brought from home. Even Gura finds herself picking up a tambourine when Ina’nis hands her a box of instruments to choose from. 

They all stare at her expectantly. Under their gazes, Amelia slumps and gives in.

“Ugh… Okay, okay! Fine.” Disgruntled, she stares at the screen, scanning it up and down twice before pointing to a song. “Umm, that one! I’ve been trying to practice it for a while now.”

 _Last Christmas._ The other girls cheer on with excitement at the choice, finally causing the detective to crack up. As the lights grow dim and all of them watch in anticipation of Amelia’s singing, Gura watches closely as the emotions in the detective’s eyes change. From uncertainty to embarrassment, regret to acceptance, to ultimately embarrassment again and shyness, Amelia starts singing, and the whole room is lit up with colors from the room’s special effects. 

It starts off quiet, rough. Amelia excuses it by saying she hasn't warmed up her vocals before clearing her throat and singing a bit louder, causing Calliope to whistle with encouragement. It’s not until she’s one minute into the song does she become more relaxed, hopping to the notes. Her singing isn’t without flaws nor is it horribly terrible—but it has character and reminds everyone in the room the fun of singing with friends and trying your best. 

When she finishes after almost missing the last verse in the song, they all applaud. Amelia gives a dramatic bow before choosing her next song: _All I Want for Christmas is You._ She’s more enthusiastic and plays into an act when the song starts this time around, an extra bounce in her step as her voice dips and deepens to a comedic effect. It’s meant to be taken as a parody, to be forgiven of her singing skills and late arrival. 

In spite of herself, Gura ends up smiling at the sight.

To her left, Kiara stands up suddenly and begins to sing alongside Amelia who happily throws an arm around her as they shout into the mic. Calliope visibly cringes when the pair starts approaching her, but soon enough, she too is roped into the sudden collab.

Ina’nis is the next target, but she doesn’t put up much of a fight. She grabs another mic lying around and pours her soul into the lyrics before turning towards Gura with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. She and the other two pull her up from the couch without warning, squishing her in the middle with Amelia.

The two of them look at each other for a brief moment before Gura leans into the mic and sings—a few seconds ahead of the actual lyrics. Amelia quickly scrambles to sing them at the right timing but fails, and it causes them both to erupt with laughter.

Staying upset is difficult with everyone’s infectious energy. Gura grins until there are eventually tears in her eyes as they all sing the bridge, raising their pitches to varying degrees to hit the notes. The timer outside their karaoke room continues to approach zero, but no one pays any attention to it.

For now, they let themselves get carried away by the music and their synchronized, off-key singing. 

———

They get kicked out for surpassing their time limit by an hour. That hardly brings down their spirits though.

The streets are lit up with lights and bustling with life. No one pays attention to anyone but themselves; some are hurrying home, while others are out with friends and family, enjoying their time together. Everyone was lost in their own worlds, with nothing to take that away from them. 

It’s freezing temperatures outside, and Gura can see her own breath, but she feels warm. Hyper. They’re all heading to a restaurant to fill up their empty stomachs, and she thinks that this is the best day she’s had in what seems like forever. The holiday spirit that was lost in this entire month has returned—and she’s very elated about that. 

Calliope and Kiara are in front, with Ina’nis right behind them as they start discussing the menu. Amelia and Gura aren’t too far away to give their two cents on the foods they’re going to eat. It's a peaceful and nice atmosphere, not too different from how they’re all together, yet there's something different too. Something special.

When Gura catches Amelia’s eyes, she gives a bright smile. This time, Amelia smiles back, softly. Their feet aren’t long as the others, so they lag behind a little, making it feel like they’re taking a separate stroll.

The tension between them is gone. For a while, it’s just quietness between the two of them and a small empty gap from where they stand individually. Each step they take is light, random. 

Eventually, when the other three are out of ear-shot, Amelia speaks up. Her voice cuts through the crowds of people they pass as they slow down just a little to match each other's pace. 

“I’m sorry.”

The apology comes out of nowhere. Gura glances over to her in question. “Eh? What for?”

“That night. Between the two of us.” Amelia keeps her eyes forward, doesn’t look at her; she smooths her hair down, wincing at the cold air that breezes by them. “I didn’t mean to—no, I shouldn’t have messed with you like that. I took things too far.”

 _Oh, right._ The incident had completely slipped Gura’s mind somehow. Her pulse is still fast from the adrenaline of karaoke and her body feels like it's running on energy drinks, but she manages calms down, taking in Amelia’s words. 

She hadn’t expect her to actually bring it up. Gura feels oddly relieved that she did; her chest doesn’t tighten up and panic doesn’t overwhelm her either. Her head feels clear—possibly from the additional icy winds blowing by. 

“I was being stupid,” Amelia continues on when there’s no response from the shark. Her voice softens. “That’s why...I understand if you’re mad at me, or if you hate me. I would too.”

 _Anger._ Was that the right word that described how she’s felt towards the detective lately? Gura supposes she does hold some sort of resentment for her, sure, but to go as far and suggest _hate?_ Far from it. There was absolutely no way she could ever hate Amelia or dislike her. She never has and never will, not back then, not now, nor in the future.

If anything, it’s the opposite. She wants to be by Amelia’s side for as long as she allows it and spend more time with her. She wants to experience more of what the land has to offer and go on adventures with Amelia along the way. She wants to be able to enjoy and cherish and save each day she gets to spend with Amelia and the rest until that privilege ceases to exist one day and she’s forced to go back to Atlantis, her only other home.

Gura doesn’t hate Amelia. She loves her—a lot, in fact. 

_(Enamoured._ Gura’s known for a long time since meeting Amelia, that her heart had fallen susceptible to the detective.)

She stops walking. Then, she inhales the air, feeling it against her lungs. 

“I like you.”

It seemed like Amelia didn’t hear her at first, moving ahead of her—but then she stops walking too, eyes wide at the confession as she turns around and stares back at Gura in confusion. “What?”

“I like you,” Gura repeats, unwavering. “I’ve always liked you. I _still_ like you.” Her scarf manages to hide how red she is. “I _am_ mad at you for pulling that stunt, but...I don’t _hate_ you.”

It takes a second for Amelia to react. She’s motionless, then lets out a tiny _“oh”_ before coughing. 

Gura doesn’t know if that’s a good response or a bad one. She waits, patiently, as Amelia straightens the collar of her coat, collecting herself. Her head tilts again.

“Um...why?”

Gura doesn’t quite understand the question. _“‘Why’?”_

Amelia nods, stiff. “Why do you still like me after all the things I did to you?” she asks, regarding her carefully. 

Gura blinks. Maybe it was just the lights around them that framed her wrong and how her shadow looked larger than average, but Amelia looks _ashamed_. It’s the expression she wore on the night of the incident, the same one that kept Gura up at night.

Before, she thought it was due to Amelia possibly _disliking her._ Now, Gura thinks it might be due to another cause. Amelia asking something like that confused her—at the same time, it gave her some clarity on the situation. It makes her feel a tiny bit more hopeful. 

She wonders how to answer. There’s too many reasons to list _why_ she likes Amelia, but they won’t cover the true extent of her feelings. That doesn’t mean she won’t try though. 

“I like you a lot more than I do dislike you. Like your smile for starters,” Gura mumbles, shy. “Your laugh too. I like how you get really into games, and your determination to get things done once you decide on it. It’s really cool to see.”

“H-huh…”

Amelia definitely wasn't expecting the shark to start listing reasons off. Upon seeing her struggling to keep a poker face, Gura finds the confidence to speak louder. “I also like how you pay attention to the smallest details in objects, like that one time you found a crystal rock and brought it back for us to see. You kept comparing it to the other ones you collected.” She giggles, the image in her head. “And then the fact that you get excited over talking about your favorite animals is really adorable too!”

At the ‘a’ word, Amelia chokes on her spit. “Hey—!”

“Oh, and there’s also how when you’re in the middle of a case, you’re a lot more active and make noises to help you think! Then when you’re finished with one, you start doing this weird thing that also looks cool where you just close your eyes and pace around the room, wondering about the other unexplained factors involved.” Gura gasps, another reason coming to the surface. “Ah, and whenever you start talking in your sle—!?”

She doesn’t get to finish. She’s muffled by her own scarf, Amelia making sure she doesn’t continue as she cries out, “I get it! You… You don’t need to explain any further, okay!?”

 _Cute._ It’s unusual for her voice to pitch so high.

Gura peeks through the cotton to see that Amelia’s face is red. The expression she wears is a mix of embarrassment and happiness—a sight Gura hasn’t seen before. It only exemplifies the other parts Amelia was hiding and makes Gura want to try even harder to see what else she had to offer in their relationship.

“I didn’t know you had this side to you, Watson,” Gura can’t help teasing. 

“Yeah, well—” Amelia tugs up at her scarf, making Gura yelp, “—that was before I knew what I was getting into with a shark. Is this how you felt half of the time from me bullying you?”

“If I said yes, would you stop?”

“Nope. I would just be more careful.” Amelia leans closer when Gura manages to untangle herself. “I like messing with you.”

Gura's ready to object, but she doesn't get the chance—not when Amelia gives a quick kiss on her lips. The experience isn't magical like how movies tend to depict them or cringey and messy, but it’s soft and sweet and it certainly makes her heart flutter when Amelia pulls back just as swift, wearing a smile that matches the sun.

“I like you too, speaking of which.”

Gura almost hides her face into her hands and screams. _Almost._ Instead, she restricts herself to burying her face in Amelia’s shoulder and grumbles something about how dumb and smooth detectives are and how that should be illegal.

“What?” Amelia asks, holding back a laugh as she embraces her. “You didn’t like it?”

She’s at a disadvantage with this girl. Gura packs a weak punch to her arm. “Shut up. I was caught off guard… I can’t believe this.”

“About what? The kiss? We can do it again if you want.”

 _“Not that!_ But, uh, I’ll take up on that offer later.” 

The rumble from Amelia’s chest as she lets out a chuckle is satisfying to feel. Gura closes her eyes, melting into the hug, taking comfort in how warm it is, thankful for how their statutes aren’t too different from each other. She would stay like this forever if they could, but then her feet would become sore again, and Amelia would probably catch a cold. 

At the very least, she’s reminded of the fact that they can do this a lot more often. That alone makes her all giddy inside.

When Amelia releases her, Gura intertwines their hands together. They fit together like a puzzle piece, complete and whole; the enthusiasm brimming from her must have been noticeable enough that Amelia becomes bashful as she leads them and they try to catch up with the group. 

It all feels like another dream—except it’s _real,_ and Gura’s glad that it is. She feels like she’s flying over clouds, on her way to enlightenment. 

“You’re really not holding back anymore,” Amelia comments when she glances over to her. “Do you really like me _this_ much?”

Gura refuses to give in and inflate Amelia’s growing ego. “I was trying my best at being _subtle,_ excuse you,” she scoffs. “You didn’t even notice until I finally said it!”

Amelia’s quick to disagree surprisingly. “No, I knew. It was pretty obvious. You…” She trails off, eyes lowering down to Gura’s back. “You’re like an open book, after all.”

“How so?”

“Your tail,” Amelia points out; she faces forward again, a smirk tugging at her lips. “You know it wags, right?”

“Well, yeah.” Gura blinks, not exactly following what Amelia was getting at; then it dawns on her as she realizes the implication when they turn the corner and she feels herself going off balance. “Oh... OH. Oh my god. Hold on. Has it always…?”

“Mhm. I mean, it always wags whenever you’re eating or in a good mood.” Amelia beams at her. “But it seems to always wag whenever we talk. Like how it is now.”

Gura quickly moves a free hand to her back—she feels a gust of wind approaching before her tail immediately slaps to her palm. Her cheeks flush as a sigh is heaved out from her. 

_“Damnit.”_

So Amelia knew this whole time, or at least figured something was up. Learning this new information makes Gura want to dig a hole and bury herself inside it to escape this humiliating ordeal. No wonder the detective kept messing with her relentlessly. It explains a lot. 

“Remind me to never show my tail ever again,” Gura grumbles as she tries to calm down, her tail slowing as a result. 

“Ehh…but I like seeing it.” Amelia’s quiet, considering something. “...If it makes you feel any better, I like how open you are with your feelings. It definitely helped to know how you felt half of the time—like you having a massive crush on me!”

Amelia was poking fun at her now. Gura raises their interlocked hands and bites down, causing her to trip as she curses.

“Owowowow— _ow!_ I’m sorry! Relax with the teeth!”

“You really had to say that. You _really_ had to say that!” Gura covers herself with her scarf as she groans, letting Amelia drag her along. “I thought you didn’t have a clue! Do you know how paranoid I felt every time I thought of something remotely cheesy with you!?”

Amelia sounds mildly amused. “Why would you be paranoid? Doesn’t everyone do that at least once in their life?” 

“I guess but…” Gura frowns, remembering how uncomfortable the dream played out; it continues to haunt her no matter what. “I thought you would be weirded out and not like it if you ever found out.”

“Why would I?” 

The question is asked in such a genuine manner that Gura doesn’t trust her ears. “Umm… Because you would get offended?” She squeezes their hands before regretting it when she realizes how sweaty her palm is. “I don’t know. Dream you was cool with it, but it was still _my_ dream at the end of the day, so…”

“Ah...gotcha. I see what you mean.” Amelia nods in understanding. “To be honest though, I think I’m more flattered than anything.”

“F— _fl_ _attered?”_ Gura splutters. 

“Yep! I must be decent enough for you to imagine being in a relationship with me,” Amelia says half-jokingly. She winks at her afterwards. “I think dream me felt the same too.”

Gura's not so sure about that; the dream Amelia had a different air about her every time she did something that it's hard to say if she reflected _her_ Amelia in any way. “It seemed more like me just projecting my feelings than anything else…”

“Who’s to say? For all we know, that could’ve actually been another me from a different world.” Amelia grins, pulling them to the side. “You can’t be too sure if it never happened at all even if it was a dream.”

It's hard to understand what Amelia means by that. Gura resorts to looking down at their hands. “What if I was being too selfish?”

“Nothing wrong with that. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes,” Amelia reassures. She brushes a hair behind Gura’s ear, admiring how soft and pretty the color is before planting a kiss on it. “...I like it when you’re selfish.” 

Gura’s left tongue-tied for words. It makes Amelia laugh, victoriously like she earned another win under her belt. She never ceases to surprise the shark with everything she says and does, no matter how absurd or tame they may be. 

It’s another reason why Gura likes Amelia. Just as how she treats things in ways that are very Amelia-like, she goes a step beyond and brings something entirely out of left-field. No one can predict her patterns—but that’s what makes being around her fun and exciting. 

Gura gives into defeat. No more beating around the bush when it comes to her requests then. “Are you busy on Christmas?” 

“Depends on whether we finish delivering all the presents. Why?”

“Because.” Gura manages to keep a straight face despite how shaky her voice comes out. “I was wondering if you could spare some time. With me. Just the two of us.”

She wonders if the emphasis was too much. At the sudden invitation, Amelia looks taken back; her cheeks turn a slight shade of pink as she blinks, failing to predict in advance that Gura would take her advice so soon. “Oh. Uhh…”

“If not, that’s okay! Haha.” Gura cringes at how awkward she sounds; she clears her throat. “We can hang out on a different day or something. As long as it’s before, um, New Years unless you’re also busy that day too which I understand—“

“No, no. It’s fine. I’ll spare some time,” Amelia interrupts her rambling. She grasps her other hand, squeezing them firmly. “I promise. And the next day too. New Year’s Eve, I’m also free.”

Her dedication is frightening but admirable. “Y-you don’t have to go _that_ far.”

“I don’t. But I want to.” Amelia gives a toothy grin that makes all of Gura’s worries wash away. “You’re gonna have to get used to seeing this face, whether you get sick of it or not.”

It isn’t a bad trade-off—not that she would admit that straight to Amelia’s face. Gura finds herself nodding. “Then...it’s a date?” she suggests nervously. 

The blush that forms on her cheeks are involuntary. Her tail can’t stop wagging as Amelia’s eyes lighten up and she confirms. “It’s a date!” 

Gura’s not sure how much she’s beaming right now, but she does know that her joy can’t be explained with words alone. She buries herself into Amelia’s arms again as the detective hugs her back just as tightly, trying to make sure the both of them don’t fall. Out of all the holidays they’ve spent together, this was definitely the one that she was going to remember for the last of her days, from beginning to end. 

_“Thank you,"_ Gura whispers, “for everything. Seriously. I won’t forget today.”

“Don’t make it sound so serious—you act like we’re parting ways forever!” Amelia giggles before she whispers back, “But you’re welcome. Thank you...for liking me. I’m really glad.”

Amelia’s voice trembles near the end of her sentence. Gura can wonder about the reasons behind why, but that’s for another day when they’re both closer and are comfortable enough to talk about themselves—for now, she just wants the both of them to enjoy this for a little bit longer. 

Time passes slowly. Snow begins to pile up on their heads and shoulders, but they don’t really care for it. Gura’s phone buzzes inside her pocket, reminding her that they were never alone originally. 

“We...should really catch up with the others, huh?”

Amelia nods but doesn’t let go. “We should but...aren’t you forgetting something first?”

Gura has no idea what she means. Amelia, knowing that, snorts as a result.

“Look up, Gura.”

She does. When she sees that tiny cursed plant again, however, she freezes, scowling at the sight. “When was that there?”

“Since ten minutes ago? I can’t remember.” Amelia plays with the ends of her scarf, smiling slightly; she pulls back. “I _do_ remember that something is done under it, though.”

Gura isn’t going to be fooled anymore; she can see right through Amelia’s lies. “You’re just pulling my leg, aren’t you.”

“Yes? No? Maybe so?” Amelia shrugs, feigning innocence. “Time-traveling makes me forget things every now and then, but that's besides the point. What do you think? Can you remind me?”

A naïve side of Gura thinks that she’s telling the truth. But then another part of her is convinced that Amelia was aware of the mistletoe from the very start and willingly placed them under it anyway. 

Whichever it is, she's not complaining. They both win something out of this.

“I think...it’s better if I show you.”

The embarrassment that Gura feels overwhelms her when she leans up—but then it quickly melts when Amelia gladly meets her half-way, pulling her a little closer by the scarf. Neither of them pay much attention to their phones silently buzzing inside their coats with messages asking if they got lost. 

**Author's Note:**

> and that, kids, is why you shouldn't beat around the bush with your feelings unless you want to have a slow-burn romance with your crush. anyway guess who intended to make this a short one-shot but it somehow ended up with over 5000K words, making it their longest fic written? if you guessed ao3 user Reveren, you're right!!!!
> 
> (haven't written in forever and it probably reflects in the fic, but it was fun to finish this anyway)
> 
> happy holidays!!! was gonna give this a g rating but then i wondered if kisses were too much for the weak heart so i decided to bump up the rating to a t even though they only actually ever kiss like twice LMAOOO... this fic is mostly just fluff—which it is probably, maybe, hopefully—but then i couldn't keep a straight face writing some parts so i had to add in less serious elements which i think reflects their characters? or i'm just trying to think of an excuse from chickening out and not fully committing...hope someone had a good laugh though haha


End file.
